High School Sports

The Carroll County Panthers earned a statement win Tuesday night, as they defeated the Grant County Braves, 88-79. Coming into the game, Grant County (7-3) had won against big-name schools like Oldham County and Anderson County, as well as won big against Trimble County and Williamstown and narrowly lost to South Oldham. On the other hand, the Panthers (3-2) were coming off a tough district loss to Gallatin County and could have very easily phoned it in before Christmas break against a tough opponent. Instead, they played their best basketball of the season so far.

Carroll County Lady Panthers were coming off two embarrassing losses of 50 points to Owen County and 25 points to Henry County as they headed into another district showdown with Gallatin County. While Carroll played better, they still came up on the short end of the score with a 59-45 loss Saturday, Dec. 15. Carroll’s record for the season is 2-5.

Despite playing solid basketball for three-and-a-half quarters, Carroll County could not get over the hump against district rival Gallatin County. The visiting Wildcats outscored the Panthers 38-24 in the second half to win, 63-52.

Coming off an embarrassing 50-point loss to Owen County Dec. 5, Carroll County hoped to turn it around against another district foe Henry County, Dec. 11. Unfortunately, the results were similar as Carroll dropped the contest to Henry, 48-23, as the Lady Panther’s record dropped to 2-4.

The Carroll County Panthers played some of their best basketball of the season against Henry County Tuesday night until about the final five minutes. Luckily, the Panthers had a large enough cushion heading into the fourth, and they hung on to win, 70-60, giving them a 3-0 record in 31st District play.

Carroll County Lady Panthers traveled to St. Henry Dec. 5, and lost 65-56. Andrea Searcy and Amelia Napier led the team with 14 points each, followed by Shawna McAlister with 12 points. Jordyn Shepherd scored six points, followed by Kamryn Knight with five, Katie Osborne with four and Hannah McCarty with two. Searcy led the team in rebounding with eight, followed by Napier and Shepherd with seven each.

Football paved a way to a college education for Pat Smith, a 1982 Carroll County High School graduate and recent inductee into the CCHS Wall of Fame.

Smith earned a scholarship to play quarterback and later safety for the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels. He redshirted the year the Colonels won the national championship in 1982. He was EKU’s leading passer in 1983 and 1984. He was 41 of 90 for 417 yards and three touchdowns in 1983 and 48 of 110 for 660 yards and three touchdowns in 1984.

It was a bittersweet home opener for the Trimble County Lady Raiders Friday night in that they fell victim to border rivals Carroll County but not before a frenetic final six minutes of play that brought the home team within striking distance. Carroll survived the onslaught to capture a 53-49 win.